Strawberry variety named &#39;Brunswick&#39;

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry ( Fragaria ananassa ) named ‘Brunswick’ characterized by its large petals, large calyx, ovoid fruit, and resistance to powdery mildew. The invention is distinct from other varieties, but most similar to ‘Cavendish’ and ‘Honeoye’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention includes a new and distinct cultivar ofFragaria ananassa known by the varietal name ‘Brunswick’, originallydesignated as “K90-12”. The new variety resulted from a controlled crossin an ongoing breeding program between the strawberry plants ‘Cavendish’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,110) and ‘Honeoye’ (unpatented). ‘Cavendish’ wasdeveloped by the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre (afacility of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) in Kentville and ‘Honeoye’was developed by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station inGeneva. ‘Brunswick’ was discovered in 1990 as a seedling in a controlledbreeding plot near Sheffield Mills, Nova Scotia at the Sheffield Farm, afield-station of the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre,where it was selected and propagated asexually by stolons at theAtlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre in Kentville. Asexualpropagules from this original source have been produced annually in agreenhouse at the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre,Kentville, Canada. ‘Brunswick’ has been tested at the Atlantic Food andHorticulture Research Centre (starting in 1991) and also at researchcentres in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Buctouche, NewBrunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, and Pynn's Brook, Newfoundland,all of Canada. This propagation and testing has demonstrated that thecombination of traits disclosed herein which characterize the newvariety are fixed and retained true to type through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction via stolons.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002]FIG. 1 shows plant parts of the new variety, typical in size,shape, and color; and

[0003]FIG. 2 shows the flowers of the new variety.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

[0004] The following detailed botanical description of the new varietyis based upon measurements and observations taken of plants and fruitgrown. in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada. Observations were taken fromeach variety as grown in a side-by-side field trial. Color designations,color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate fromthe stated values and description depending upon variation in theenvironment, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions, however, it isbelieved that this description will apply to the ‘Brunswick’ plantsgrown in similar conditions of soil and climate elsewhere. Colorreferences generally are made to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (1966 edition). Descriptive informationon the new variety is presented in Tables 1 and 2. In the tables, theflowers described are secondary flowers. The fruit described is thesecondary fruit of the maiden crop, thirteen or fourteen months afterplanting. The harvest data in Table 3 is based on a complete harvest ofthe crop. Principal differences between ‘Brunswick’, the patentedvariety ‘Cavendish’ and the unpatented variety ‘Honeoye’ are set forth.

[0005] Classification: The new variety is botanically identified asFragaria ananassa and commercially classified as a short-day strawberry.

[0006] Plant and foliage characteristics: When propagated in thenursery, ‘Brunswick’ produces moderate numbers of runner plants, similarto ‘Cavendish’ but less than ‘Honeoye’. Individual plants of all threevarieties are medium in size. The plants of ‘Brunswick’ are of mediumdensity with globose habit and strong vigor. ‘Brunswick’ rows are lessdense and more open than rows of ‘Honeoye’, but more dense than‘Cavendish’. As shown in Table 1, leaf color of ‘Brunswick’, ‘Cavendish’and ‘Honeoye’ are Green Group 137A on the upper surface. The color ofthe lower surface of ‘Brunswick’ and ‘Honeoye’ is Green Group 138B butGreen Group 137C for ‘Cavendish’. Leaflets of ‘Brunswick’ are largerthan ‘Cavendish’ and slightly larger than ‘Honeoye’ and leaves of allthree varieties have three leaflets. Leaflets of ‘Brunswick and‘Cavendish’ are cupped whereas ‘Honeoye’ leaflets are flat. Leaflets of‘Brunswick’ and ‘Cavendish’ have higher numbers of serrations than‘Honeoye’. Leaflet serrations of ‘Brunswick’ and ‘Honeoye’ aresemi-round whereas serrations of ‘Cavendish’ are rounded. The venationof ‘Brunswick’ leaflets is pinnate. Petiole pubescence for ‘Brunswick’tends to be higher in density than for ‘Cavendish’ and ‘Honeoye’but allthree varieties have a perpendicular orientation of the pubescence.TABLE 1 Foliar Characteristics for ‘Brunswick’, ‘Cavendish’ and‘Honeoye’ Cultivar Foliar Character ‘Brunswick’ ‘Cavendish’ ‘Honeoye’Leaf color Green Group Green Group Green Group Upper surface 137A 137A137A Lower surface 138B 137C 138B Central leaflet Length (mm) Mean 87.879.9 83.8 Range 80-100 64-89 65-97 Width (mm) Mean 77.0 74.6 70.3 Range65-95 55-90 55-87 Length/width ratio  1.14  1.07  1.19 No. leaflets/leaf 3  3  3 Leaf convexity cupped cupped flat Serrations Number many manymoderate Size medium medium small Shape semi-round rounded semi-roundTip serration size small small small Leaf pubescence medium mediummedium Petiole pubescence Density medium to dense medium mediumDirection perpendicular perpendicular perpendicular

[0007] Flower and fruit characteristics: The length of bloom for‘Brunswick’ is about three weeks when grown in Kentville, Nova Scotia,Canada in a matted row cultural system. Flowering for ‘Brunswick’typically begins on June 2 and ends on June 21, which is about threedays later than ‘Cavendish’ and four days later than ‘Honeoye’. As shownin Table 2, the flower truss of ‘Brunswick’ is longer than for‘Cavendish’ and ‘Honeoye’. ‘Brunswick’ flowers typically open slightlybeneath the leaf canopy. ‘Brunswick’ flower trusses produce more flowersthan trusses of ‘Cavendish’ and ‘Honeoye’. Flowers of ‘Brunswick’ andthe reference varieties are white. The anther color is Yellow-OrangeGroup 17A. Secondary flowers of ‘Brunswick’ are similar to ‘Honeoye’ insize but larger than ‘Cavendish’. Secondary flowers of ‘Brunswick’typically have 5 or 6 petals while ‘Cavendish’ usually has 6 petals and‘Honeoye’ has 5. The petals of ‘Brunswick’ are slightly longer than widewhereas petals of ‘Cavendish’ and ‘Honeoye’ are as long as wide. Theinner calyx of ‘Brunswick’ has a smaller diameter than the outer calyxwhile for ‘Cavendish’ and ‘Honeoye’ the inner and outer calyces have asimilar diameter. Trusses of ‘Brunswick’ and ‘Honeoye’ are typicallysemi-erect at first picking in contrast to ‘Cavendish’ which isprostrate. The position of the calyx is even with the top of the berryfor ‘Brunswick’. The adherence of the calyx to the fruit is weak tomedium for ‘Brunswick’ and ‘Honeoye’ but strong for ‘Cavendish’. Thefruit of ‘Brunswick’ are slightly larger than for ‘Honeoye’ but smallerthan ‘Cavendish’. The ratio of fruit length to width is 0.82. for‘Brunswick’, 0.92 for ‘Cavendish’ and 0.97 for ‘Honeoye’. ‘Brunswick’fruit are ovoid to short-conic in shape. Fruit of all three varietiesare medium in firmness. As shown in Table 2, the exterior fruit color of‘Brunswick’ is Red Group 46A and on the inside the pith and cortex areRed Group 45B, indicating very even interior color. The referencevarieties have a very similar color to ‘Brunswick’. The achenes of‘Brunswick’ are Green-Yellow Group 1A but darken to Orange-Red Group 34Aon the shoulders of the fruit when exposed to sunlight. TABLE 2 Flowerand Fruit Characteristics for ‘Brunswick’, ‘Cavendish’ and ‘Honeoye’Cultivar Character ‘Brunswick’ ‘Cavendish’ ‘Honeoye’ Flower positionslightly beneath slightly (relative to leaf canopy) beneath beneathFlower truss length medium short- short- medium medium (cm) 24.2 20.421.8 Number of flowers/truss  8.1  6.4  6.7 Number of petals  5.4  6.0 5.1 Flower size (mm diameter) 31.1 27.0 30.1 Flower color White WhiteWhite Petal length (mm) 12.2 10.6 12.0 Petal width (mm) 11.6 10.5 12.0Petal spacing spaced to touching to spaced to touching overlappingtouching Calyx size Inner calyx (mm diam.) 24.4 22.8 23.1 Outer calyx(mm diam.) 26.7 22.4 23.8 Calyx position even even to in a even to basinslightly above Adherence of the calyx weak to strong weak to mediummedium Fruit size and shape Length (mm) 28.1 31.8 29.9 Width (mm) 34.434.6 30.7 Length/width ratio  0.82  0.92  0.97 Subjective fruit shapeovoid to cordate short-conic short-conic Seed position slight-indentslight-indent slight indent Fruit firmness medium medium medium Color(R.H.S. Colour Chart) Calyx Green Group Green Group Green Group 137C to137C 137C 137D Fruit exterior Red Group Red Group Red Group 46A 46A 46AFruit interior Red Group Red Group Red Group Pith 45B 45B 45B Cortex 45B45B 45B

[0008] Disease resistance: ‘Brunswick’ and ‘Cavendish’ are resistant tored stele root rot (Phytophthora fragariae) while ‘Honeoye’ issusceptible. ‘Brunswick’ plants are slightly more resistant to powderymildew (Sphaerotheca macularis) than ‘Cavendish’ and ‘Honeoye’, whichare susceptible. ‘Brunswick’ and ‘Cavendish’ are susceptible to greenpetal phytoplasma while ‘Honeoye’ is resistant.

[0009] Production characteristics: ‘Brunswick’ has produced, highyields; generally similar to ‘Cavendish’ and ‘Honeoye’, as shown inTable 3. The proportion of fruit considered marketable is similarbetween the three varieties. The fruit of ‘Brunswick are larger (byweight) than ‘Honeoye’ but smaller than ‘Cavendish’. The mean harvestdate for ‘Brunswick’ is similar to ‘Cavendish’ and ‘Honeoye’. All threevarieties have a harvest season which is early-midseason. TABLE 3Performance of ‘Brunswick’ and ‘Cavendish’ or ‘Honeoye’ in 1997 and 1998Averaged over Several Sites* Total Yield %Yield Size Mean Harvest (t/ha)marketable (g/fruit) (day of year) 1997 (five sites) ‘Brunswick’ 7.287.9 13.3 201.7 ‘Cavendish’ 5.4 90.8 14.7 201.5 1998 (four sites)‘Brunswick’ 9.9 81.1 11.2 188.2 ‘Cavendish’ 8.6 81.2 11.6 189.2 1998(one site) ‘Brunswick’ 17.1 94.2 12.8 181.0 ‘Honeoye’ 15.8 96.1 10.8182.8

I claim:
 1. The new and distinct variety of strawberry plant named‘Brunswick’ as described and illustrated.